Fireplace-chimney damper



' Nov. 2 1926. 1,605,704

G. N. BRUNANDER FIREPLACE CHIMNEY DAMPER Filed May 11, 1926 Patented Nov. 2, 1926.

UNITED STATES GUSTAV N. BRUNANDEB, OF PORTLAND, OREGON.

FIREPLACE-CHIMNEY DAMPER.

Application filed. May 11,

My invention relates to fire place chimney dampers, and has for its object the production of such a device having distinctive sim plicity and economy of construction, and definitely increased efficiency over devlces known to the subsisting prior art.

lVhat constitutes my invention Wlll be hereinafter specified in detail and succinctly defined in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing, which lllustrates my invention in its present preferred form of embodiment,

Figure I is a vertical section of a portion of a chimney and of a fire place therein equipped with one of my dampers shown in the closed position.

Figure II is a top plan view of part of the mechanism of my damper proper detached.

Figure III is a side elevation of one of my separable clip attaching-members for operatively uniting the hinged damper-plate and its fixed supporting member.

Figure IV is an edge view of the subject matter of Figure III. 1

Referring to the numerals on the drawing, 1, in Figure I, indicates the front wall, and 2 the back wall of a chimney. 3 indicates one side wall or jamb of a fireplace, whose hearth surface is indicated at 1.

Within the chimney, a fire-place back wall 5 resting upon the hearth l is built between the opposite chimney jambs. The shape of the chimney and that of the back wall 5 may be varied at will, provided only that they are so designed as to define between the 1ns1de of the wall 1 and the top 7 of the bacl: wall 5, a throat 8 of any preferred size and dimensions.

The elements above specified may all be of any usual or preferred description and design.

My invention consists in certain means for regulating, to the point of complete closure, the effective size of the throat 8. Said means comprise a fixed supporting member 9, and

a damper-plate 10 operatively hinged thereto. The member 9 preferably consists of a piece of angle iron of suitable length and transverse dimensions. One side of the angle iron constitutes a bottom plate 11 which serves to support the brow 12 of the fire place opening, whilst the other upstand ng side plate extends in a substantially vertical direction alongside the inner face of the front wall 1. I provide a pair of clip attaching-members 16, one of said members 1926. Serial N0. 108,338.

being located in operative assemblage of the parts of the whole towards one end of the plate 15 and the other located towards the other end thereof. The nature and functions of the members 16 constitute, in the main, the distinctive feature of my invention, for the following reasons, namely, that the members or clips 16 may be, for the accommodation of different sizes of damper-plates 10, I

located at will anywhere along the length of the plate where vertical grooves 17 may be formed in the inside of the wall for their accommodation, respectively, and furthermore that, by reason of their distinctive shape, they afford means for hinging the plate 15 to the damper plate 10 in close proximity to each other with a substantially perfect joint between the said parts.

Each of the numbers 16 is provided with a slit 18 defined between jaws 19 and 20, the width of said slit being such as to permit them to take in the plate 15 with snug fitment. The jaw 20 is made of a width sufficient to accommodate one or more journal bearings of which two, indicated by numerals 22 and 23 are illustrated in the drawing. The office of the members 16 with the journal bearings formed therein, two of said members being provided for the purpose as shown in Figure II, is to hinge the damper plate 10 to the fixed plate 15 and to dispose the bottom of the plate 10 substantially in the same plane as that of the preferably oblique face of the top 7. To that end, in order to adapt my damper to fire places already built and requiring perhaps choice of different angles of inclination for the plate 10, a plurality of journal bearings 22 and 23, preferably two, is provided in each member 16. Moreover, each journal bearing, being circular in shape, is open as indicated at 25 on its side next the plate 15 when the member 16 is assembled therewith, the purpose being to bring the juxtaposed face of the plate 15 and the edge of the damperplate 10 close together. The plate 10 is provided at its opposite ends with cylindrical lugs 26 which serve as trunnions to unite the plate to the supporting members 16 on the plate 15 with hinge effect.

The damper-plate 10 tends by gravity to close the throat 8, and is designed to be, upon occasion, actuated against the force of gravity to any position of adjustment desired. The means for actuating may consist, for example, of a chain 27 secured at its inner end as at 28 to a lug on the upper side of the plate 10. The chain, which is provided with a handle 29, passes through a tubular guide piece 30 extending lengthwise through the wall 1. The links of the chain 2'? may serve by engagement with a slot provided in the member 80, for the purpose of fixing, in any manner well known in the art, the adjustment of the chain to desired length, whereby adjustment or the plate 10 to any available angle of inclination may be obtained.

The operation of my device will, it is deemed, be understood by one skilled in the art without the necessity for further description.

What I claim is:

1. In a tire place damper, the combination of a supporting member adapted to be secured in a chimney and provided with an upwardly extending plate positioned adjacent the inner face of a wall thereof, a damper provided with trunnions, substantially aligned with its rear edge, a pair of clips adapted to be slipped over the upper edge of the supporting plate and provided with means for embracing the trunnions on the damper and permitting the edge of the damper adjacent the trunnions to substantially contact throughout its length with said plate when the damper. is closed, and means for rocking the damper about the axis of its trunnions,.

2. In a lire place damper, the combination of a supporting member adapted to be secured in a chimney and provided with an upwardly extending plate positioned against the inner face of a wall thereof, a damper provided with trunnions, a pair of clips adapted to be slipped over the upper edge of the supporting plate and provided with means for embracing the trunnions on the damper and permitting the edge of the damper adjacent the trunnions to substantially contact throughout its length with said plate when the damper is closed, and means for rocking the damper about the axis of its trunnions, each of said clips having a pair of jaws and a trunnion bearing opening through one of the jaws into the space between the two jaws, said plate sub stantially closing the bearing.

In a tire place damper, the combination of a supporting member adapted to be secured in a chimney and provided with an upwardly extending plate positioned against the inner face of a wall thereof, a damper provided at its ends with trunnions substantially aligned with its rear edge, a pair of members engaged with the supporting plate, and each provided with two vertically spaced apertures adapted to receive the trunnions of the damper whereby the damper may be mounted to rock about either of two axes located between the top and bottom edges of said supporting plate, the parts being so arranged that in either position the edge of the damper adjacent the trunnions contact throughout its length with the face of the supporting plate when the damper is closed, and means for rocking the damper about the axis of its trunnion.

4. In a fire place damper, the combination of a damper provided with trunnions at its ends, two supports each consisting of a plate having a vertical slot therein extending through its lower edge, whereby it may be engaged with a member attached to a wall of the chimney, and provided with a forwardly projecting notch opening into said slot and adapted to receive one of the damper trunnions, and means for rocking the damper about the axis of its trunnions.

5. A clip attaching member for a device of the class described comprising a pair of spaced jaws defining a slit therebetween, one of the jaws being provided with a bearing open on its side next to the slit.

6. A clip attaching member for a device of the class described comprising a pair 01 spaced jaws defining a slot therebetween, one of the jaws being provided with a plurality of bearings each opening into the slot.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

GUSTAV N. BRUNANDER. 

